One man had died and another two have been seriously injured in wildfires that are raging in eastern Attica on Sunday. The fires have lead to evacuations of hundreds of people from several settlements and villages, have burned down houses and cars, destroyed people’s lives, extinguished the fauna and flora in the areas.
.jpg?t=eRlx9Z9qUFjGFejxzotXVg)
A 45-year-old man, a resident of Stamata, has died on Sunday afternoon, He was helping combat the blames outside two homes, with one of them being probably his own, when he collapsed. He was taken away with an ambulance to the health center of Kapandriti and despite doctors’ efforts he could not be saved.
ANT1 TV reported that the man died two hours later, after he inhaled a big load of smoke and suffered a cardiac arrest.
The private TV station reported that another man has suffered severe burning injuries in the football stadium of Stamata and he was waiting for an ambulance.
Other media report also of another person with severe respiratory problems in Dionysos.
Wildfires have been a plague for Greece every summer in the last couple of years,however, they started early in 2024.
The first fire started short before 12 o’ clock noon in Keratea, in south-eastern Attica, less than 50 km away from capital Athens.
Two blazes started in Stamata and Ritsona in the afternoon.
Powerful winds blowing with 7-8 Beaufort helped the fires to spread quickly and are now out of control.
The flames have burned houses and pens, killed wildlife, destroyed hectares of flora.
Fire in Keratea
Sources of the civil Protection pointed out that the fire in Keratea does not have a single front but four separate sources of flames.
Strong winds have hampered the fire-fighting effort, with gusts reaching up to 9 Beaufort, compounded by the residences scattered in fields and the quantities of low-growing vegetation, mostly dry grass and uncleared plots of land.
So far, six settlements have been evacuated safely, and 52 people that had been trapped have been brought to safety, with police officers taking charge of the evacuations of dozens of homes.
The fire department is also being assisted by local authorities and the army, which has supplied digging machinery.
Fire near Papoutsanis factory in Ritsona
A fire broke out on Sunday in an industrial zone in Ritsona, near the Papoutsanis factory. Strong fire fighting forces from Halkida have responded to extinguished the blase, while a 112 message was sent to areas in the path of the smoke to stay indoors and keep doors and windows shut.
Black smoke has filled the sky above Ritsona, as the fire started in a recycling factory opposite the Papoutsanis factory, and is burning various flammable materials that were in the grounds around it, including tyres and mattresses.
Local media reported that the sound of explosions were heard form the burning factory.
The fire brigade forces are positioned along the old Ritsona national road and are fighting to prevent the flames from spreading beyond the recycling plant to other factories in the area.
In addition to other factories, there is also a refugee facility in the area but this was reported to face no danger, as there is no chance that the flames will spread outside the plant where the fire started.
Forest fire near houses in Stamata: 112 warning to nearby residents
A dangerous forest fire started shortly after 16:00 on Sunday in Stamata region of North-East Attica.
The fire has been burning the forest area and is close to houses, while strong winds have pushed it out of control.
Additional forces and firefighting aircraft have been deployed in the area, where already over 40 firefights have been battling the flames with 10 engines, teams on foot, volunteers and residents. The forces on the ground are assisted by six water-dropping aircraft and four helicopters.
A 112 message was sent instructing people in Amygdaleza to evacuate toward Stamata Square via Stamata Avenue, followed by a second message instructing people in the Galini area to head down Stamata Avenue toward Drosia. A third message to those in the Rodopoli area also instructed people to make their way toward Drosia via Stamata Avenue.
Residents in the Dionysos area, meanwhile, were sent a 112 message instructing them to stay indoors and shut doors and windows due smoke from the Stamata fire heading in their direction.
Note that firefighting aerial means can operate only until the last daylight.
sources & material: in.gr, cnn.gr, ethnos.gr and others
